ACLU/NAACP Town Meeting on Sheriff Strain

[Keseys Ghost]

Tonight's meeting addressing St Tammany Parish Sheriff Jack Strain's announced policy of racial profiling was well attended (about 100 citizens) and well recieved. We are currently awaiting the media spin before commenting, but post these photos for the time being:



(Left to right) Moderator, Greater Covington NAACP President Annie Spell (standing); King Downing, National Coordinator of the ACLU Campaign Against Racial Profiling; Louisiana ACLU Executive Director Joe Cook; Loyola University of the South law professor and human rights activist Bill Qigley; Redditt Hudson, Racial Injustice Manager, Eastern Missouri ACLU; Justo Garcia, United States Department of Justice; and Kwame Asante', Louisiana NAACP Director.



Buddy Spell, appearing on behalf of the Southern Poverty Law Center and the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers



Bill Quigley appeared on the local TV news this evening suggesting that Strain's comments reduced the image of St Tammany residents to that of "rednecks" with "sheets in the closet and torches in the backyard"



Citizens shared their fears and concerns relative to the the Sheriff's comments



Redditt Hudson, drawing on his years as a detective with the St. Louis Police Department, spoke of the danger posed by the institutional culture which nurtures the abuse of power and how that culture might be best confronted



The empowerment of a community

More as the media files its stories....

[Anita Garcia]

1. Great photos!

[EFerrari]

2. I dearly love to see people standing up.

lol

We just had a shaker out here and I'm peeling cats off the ceiling. A little rocky but here's my grateful kick.

[itzamirakul]

3. K&R Katrina was just step 2 of this new racist behavior and

treatment of African Americans. Step one was to begin to deny them the vote as in 2000 and 2004.

[EFerrari]

4. Cross posted to the Latino/Hispanic forum.

checking out for the night. Thanks, you guys, I'll be back.

[Keseys Ghost]

5. New Orleans Times-Picayune

Civil rights group to review sheriff's hiring

By Paul Rioux
St. Tammany bureau

Two civil rights group plan to review St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office employment records for signs of discrimination, stepping up their scrutiny of Sheriff Jack Strain following recent racial profiling allegations against him.

The NAACP and American Civil Liberties Union said they will file a public records request for data on the hiring and promotion of minority employees during Strain’s 10 years as sheriff....



...Several attendees said they are concerned Strain’s comments are rooted in a bias that could affect his hiring decisions.

“These sorts of rash, stupid statements usually come out of a history of ignorance,” said Jim Long of Covington....

...In a TV interview after four people were murdered June 27 at a trailer park near Slidell, Strain said people with dreadlocks or “chee wee” hairstyles similar to descriptions of the two gunmen could “expect to be getting a visit from a sheriff’s deputy.”

The statement drew a sharp rebuke from the NAACP and ACLU, who accused Strain of engaging in unconstitutional racial profiling.


More at link:



(Paul Rioux can be reached at [e-mail] or [phone].)


http://www.nola.com/newslogs/tpupdates/index.ssf?/mtlog...

---------------------------------------
EDIT: COPYRIGHT. PLEASE POST ONLY 4 OR 5
PARAGRAPHS FROM THE COPYRIGHTED NEWS SOURCE
PER DU RULES.

[Keseys Ghost]

10. Front Page

[EFerrari]

6. kick

[Anita Garcia]

7. kicked for the lunch crowd!

[EFerrari]

8. You guys HAVE to see these pics.

Thanks to the slick lawyers. Not too much lately to feel good about. Thanks.

[EFerrari]

9. One more

Thank you, Anita and Keseys Ghost. You make me feel better about people.

peace,
Beth

[Swamp Rat]

11. WOOOHOOO!!!!!!!!

Geaux Bill!!!



Geaux Buddy!!!!



Geaux ACLU, NAACP, Southern Poverty Law Center, National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, and everyone else who stands up for justice and the American Way!!!



Let's help St. Tammany Parrish recover from the 'redneck' stereotype, though lawd knows it is deserved in this instance.

Jack Strain and his sycophantic KKKlansmen can just fuck off! We're gonna expose you for the cockroaches you are!!!

[Keseys Ghost]

12. "Anita Garca" to appear on WWL-TV (New Orleans) tonight

In the meantime, WDSU has reposted the sheriff's video...

http://www.wdsu.com/news/9623222/detail.html#

[Keseys Ghost]

13. Jack Strain named "Wanker of the WeeK"

http://www.brainshrub.com/wotw-01

[Keseys Ghost]

14. More coverage:

ACLU and NAACP Demand Apology From Sheriff, Call Citizens to Action



http://www.sttammany.com/news-detail/article/780/aclu-a...

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

15. somebody call security!

There's a guy with dreadlocks in the front row!

[Keseys Ghost]

16. The Sheriff is on Crooks and Liars again

http://crooksandliars.com /

Sheriff Jack Strain is still under the gun
By: John Amato @ 5:42 PM - PDT
Since I posted about the racist comments made by St. Tammany Parish’s sheriff Jack Strain, there’s been a lot of local heat on him. Strain has refused to comment which isn’t surprising, but you can read all about it in NOLA.com

[Anita Garcia]

18. Crooks and Liars ROCKS!

[Richard Steele]

17. K & R